There really isn't a major difference between one premium cast net compared to other cast nets on the market today. In many casting nets, you'll see slight variations between the amount of lead on a net, the color of netting, netting softness and of course all of the different names that are on the side of the bucket. When you're new to the cast net world, choosing a net can be overwhelming, not to mention the learning curve on throwing it after you've just purchased it. Throwing cast nets can be very tricky on one hand but be a breeze on the other hand when held in your hand correctly. Throwing a cast net is simply 80% on how your load your net and only 20% throwing ability.
Netting material - In the market you'll see many different names of cast nets that simply use cheaply made monofilament which causes the netting to have a stiff coarse feel to it, therefore not opening to the nets' maximum potential when thrown. Also when having a coarse feel, this causes the net to have a bushy type appearance causing it to take up more space in your hand which in turn makes it harder to load and also harder to throw. Having a limp net is important, it allows you to load your net easier, it throws nicer, opens larger and is obviously more effective at catching more live bait when your net has a larger spread. Another important feature is at the end of the day, your cast net curls up nice into your bucket without it springing back out like a "jack in the Box" net.
Horn - Having the right horn is important, a horn that is divides the net into sections which also divides all of your braille lines into sections. With your braille lines being divided, this helps almost eliminate your braille lines from becoming tangled. Having a horn that is divided also keeps live bait from escaping out through the opening of the horn which is an important feature especially when catching smaller live bait such as shrimp.
Braille lines - This is an important part of a casting net that many fishermen overlook but it to is also an important feature on all cast nets. Braille lines usually consist of 16-24 lines which attach to the lead line (bottom) of the net that are used to pull the net inward to trap all of your live bait inside of your net. If your cast net does not have enough braille lines, your net will not close tightly, therefore not trapping as many live bait as you expected. Simple overlooked features such as these can be the difference in you catching a dozen or a few dozen nice baits for your days fishing and this feature is critical when the live bait is hard to come by. Using a lot of braille lines allows the net to become stronger when pulling in your net thus eliminating the need to go to a higher pound test braille line which is stiffer. Try to find a net with more lines than the industry standard.
Industry standard 6ft net- 16 Braille lines
Industry standard 8ft net- 24 Braille lines
Industry standard 10ft net- 28 Braille lines
Hand line rope - Actually this part of the net doesn't really effect how much live bait that you catch but your line should be around 30-40 feet which helps fisherman throw their nets farther and also allows your net to sink at deeper depths.
Double selvage - This feature is also great for doubling the strength on the points of your net where it is needed the most, this being next to the bottom lead line and at the top where the horn is attached. This is extremely important for the longevity of a net, this only makes sense being that you'll be constantly dragging your net against the lake or ocean bottom when pulling it in.
Lead weight - In most situations, the amount of weight on a net will be the difference between catching a lot of live bait or just a few live baits for your days fishing. Just about all cheaper series nets will have anywhere from only 3/4 lb - 1 lb per ft of lead weight on a net. This means that if using 1 lb of weight per radius ft. of net, a 8ft radius net should have 8 lbs of lead on it. A 1.5 lb per ft net should have 12 lbs of lead on an 8ft radius net. Lighter weight nets are generally used for shallow water applications where the extra weight is not needed nor preferred being that the heavier weight only brings up extra mud and grass. When trying to catch your larger live bait around deeper water such as bridges, navigational markers, deeper grass flats and even in deeper open water, having a heavier net will be a "must have." A typical piece of lead on a standard cast net will weigh approx. 1 1/2 ounces and is separated from one lead to the next by being approx. 5"- 6" apart. On premium nets you'll notice the lead is in a round marble type shape and is measured at only 2" apart on heavier series nets. By having this feature, you will have a more uniform net that throws nicer and has a much better bottom seal. Having a tight cast net seal, makes it much more difficult for bait to escape under the net when the net is lying on the bottom against grass, sand etc. This is a very important feature that is also overlooked by many fishermen and should also be one your major focus points especially when catching baits that are bottom dwellers such as pinfish, shrimp etc.
Netting panels - Panels on a net will be the difference in your net sinking quickly versus slow and be the difference between your net opening fully versus not opening well at all. Different factors play a part on how well that a net performs, mostly it involves the quality and softness of the material and then the measurements on how well that they were sewn together. On your typical cheap cast net, a net is one big piece that has one seam, therefore will not come close to opening to its fullest potential. This causes what is widely know as the net having a cone shape in the middle of the net, this can be easily viewed when you spread out a net fully on the ground. You'll notice that in the very center is part of the net that will not continue to open which restricts the net from opening to its fullest potential. A net that has a 6ft radius should open and measure 12ft across in diameter, most cheap nets will only measure approx. 10 ft across because of the coned shaped appearance in the middle of the net. Your premium style nets today are mostly constructed with a 6 panel design which helps eliminate this problem by having 6 pie shaped panels that are cut evenly to make a perfect cast net circle that causes a net to open to its fullest measurement potential. However, being that this is a method to ensure a well performing net, many name brand nets do not "measure up" to the net opening to its fullest potential. Just because a net has 6 panels, doesn't mean that the net will open to its correct maximum measurement. Several companies cheat by using smaller panels which in turn has the same result as a one piece net by having a cone shape appearance when viewed on the ground.
